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Abstract:

A smart charging system for mobile vehicles includes a charging
apparatus, a meter, and a cloud server. The charging apparatus is
connected between an electric grid and an electric vehicle. The charging
apparatus is supplied by the electric grid and then provides power to
supply the electric vehicle. The meter is operatively connected between
the electric grid and the charging apparatus. The meter has a
communication with the electric grid to obtain supplied power from the
electric grid to the charging apparatus. The cloud server is operatively
connected to the electric grid and further operatively connected to the
charging apparatus via a gateway apparatus to receive power-supplying
information of the electric grid and power-charging information of the
electric vehicle. Further, the charging apparatus smartly charges the
electric vehicle according to the power-supplying information and the
power-charging information.

Claims:

1. A charging apparatus connected between a utility grid and an electric
vehicle, the charging apparatus comprising: a measurement unit connected
to the utility grid and configured to measure an output voltage and an
output current of the utility grid; a communication unit configured to
receive an output voltage information and an output current information
of the utility grid, a charging voltage information and a charging
current information of the electric vehicle, and a load condition
information of the utility grid; a control unit connected to the
measurement unit and the communication unit; wherein the control unit
configured to control the utility grid to adaptively charge the electric
vehicle via a charging connection unit according to the output voltage
information, the output current information, the charging voltage
information, the charging current information, and the load condition
information when the control unit meets a charge authorization condition.

2. The charging apparatus in claim 1, wherein the charge authorization
condition is a charging request authorization mode; the utility grid
judges whether to receive the charging request command according to the
load conditions of the utility grid when the electric vehicle provides a
charging request command to the utility via the charging apparatus;
wherein the utility grid receives the charging request command when the
load condition is a light-load condition; whereas the utility grid
rejects the charging request command when the load condition is a
heavy-load condition.

3. The charging apparatus in claim 1, wherein the charge authorization
condition is a charging permit authorization mode; the electric vehicle
judges whether to receive the charging permit command according to the
output voltage information and the output current information of the
utility grid when the utility grid provides a charging permit command to
the electric vehicle via the charging apparatus; wherein the electric
vehicle receives the charging permit command when the output voltage and
output current of the utility grid meet the required charging voltage and
charging current of the electric vehicle.

4. The charging apparatus in claim 1, wherein the charge authorization
condition is a charging notice authorization mode; the utility grid
judges whether to receive the charging validation command according to
the required charging voltage information and the charging current
information of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle provides a
charging validation command to the utility grid via the charging
apparatus; wherein the utility grid receives the charging validation
command when the required charging voltage and charging current of the
electric vehicle meet the output voltage and output current of the
utility grid.

5. The charging apparatus in claim 1, wherein the charging connection
unit is a SAE J1772 connector with a power line communication.

6. The charging apparatus in claim 1, wherein the communication unit has
a ZigBee protocol function, a Wi-Fi protocol function, or a blue tooth
protocol function.

7. The charging apparatus in claim 1, further comprising: a display unit
connected to the control unit and configured to display conditions of
supplying power from the utility grid to the electrical vehicle; and a
protection unit connected to the control unit and configured to provide a
ground fault protection, an over-current protection, or an over-voltage
protection.

8. A smart charging system for mobile vehicles comprising: a charging
apparatus connected between a utility grid and an electric vehicle;
wherein the charging apparatus is supplied by the utility grid and the
electric vehicle is charged by the charging apparatus; a meter
operationally connected between the utility gird and the charging
apparatus; wherein the meter is communicated to the utility grid to
obtain an output voltage information and an output current information
provided from the utility grid to the charging apparatus; and a cloud
server operationally connected to the utility grid; wherein the cloud
server is further operationally connected to the charging apparatus via a
gateway apparatus to receive the output voltage information and the
output current information of the utility grid and a charging voltage
information and a charging current information of the electric vehicle;
wherein the charging apparatus configured to adaptively charge the
electric vehicle according to the output voltage information, the output
current information, the charging voltage information, the charging
current information, and a load condition information of the utility grid
when the charging apparatus meets a charge authorization condition.

9. The smart charging system in claim 8, wherein the charge authorization
condition is a charging request authorization mode; the utility grid
judges whether to receive the charging request command according to the
load conditions of the utility grid when the electric vehicle provides a
charging request command to the utility via the charging apparatus;
wherein the utility grid receives the charging request command when the
load condition is a light-load condition; whereas the utility grid
rejects the charging request command when the load condition is a
heavy-load condition.

10. The smart charging system in claim 8, wherein the charge
authorization condition is a charging permit authorization mode; the
electric vehicle judges whether to receive the charging permit command
according to the output voltage information and the output current
information of the utility grid when the utility grid provides a charging
permit command to the electric vehicle via the charging apparatus;
wherein the electric vehicle receives the charging permit command when
the output voltage and output current of the utility grid meet the
required charging voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle.

11. The smart charging system in claim 8, wherein the charge
authorization condition is a charging notice authorization mode; the
utility grid judges whether to receive the charging validation command
according to the required charging voltage information and the charging
current information of the electric vehicle when the electric vehicle
provides a charging validation command to the utility grid via the
charging apparatus; wherein the utility grid receives the charging
validation command when the required charging voltage and charging
current of the electric vehicle meet the output voltage and output
current of the utility grid.

12. The smart charging system in claim 8, wherein the meter is a smart
meter; the meter is communicated to the charging apparatus through a
wireless local area network protocol; wherein the meter is communicated
to the charging apparatus via a ZigBee protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol, or a
blue tooth protocol; the gateway apparatus is a ZigBee gateway, a Wi-Fi
gateway, or a blue tooth gateway.

13. The smart charging system in claim 12, wherein the charging apparatus
is communicated to the ZigBee gateway via the ZigBee protocol and the
cloud server is communicated to the ZigBee gateway via the Ethernet
protocol when the charging apparatus is operationally connected to the
cloud server via the ZigBee gateway; wherein the charging apparatus is
communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway via the Wi-Fi protocol and the cloud
server is communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway via the Ethernet protocol
when the charging apparatus is operationally connected to the cloud
server via the Wi-Fi gateway; wherein the charging apparatus is
communicated to the blue tooth gateway via the blue tooth protocol and
the cloud server is communicated to the blue tooth gateway via the
Ethernet protocol when the charging apparatus is operationally connected
to the cloud server via the blue tooth gateway.

14. A method of smartly charging mobile vehicles for charging an electric
vehicle by a utility grid, comprising following steps: (a) providing a
charging apparatus, wherein the charging apparatus is connected between
the utility grid and the electric vehicle; (b) providing a charging
request command from the electric vehicle, wherein the charging request
command is sent to the utility grid via the charging apparatus to propose
a charging request to the utility grid; (c) providing a charging permit
command from the utility grid, wherein the charging permit command is
sent to the electric vehicle via the charging apparatus to allow charging
the electric vehicle; (d) providing a charging validation command from
the electric vehicle, wherein the charging validation command is sent to
the utility grid via the charging apparatus to propose a charging notice
to the utility grid; and (e) charging the electric vehicle by the utility
grid via the charging apparatus.

15. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 14, in step
(b), wherein when the electric vehicle provides the charging request
command to the utility grid, a charging request authorization mode is
further executed between the electric vehicle, the charging apparatus,
and the utility grid; the utility grid judges whether to receive the
charging request command according to the load conditions of the utility
grid when the electric vehicle provides a charging request command to the
utility via the charging apparatus; wherein the utility grid receives the
charging request command when the load condition is a light-load
condition; whereas the utility grid rejects the charging request command
when the load condition is a heavy-load condition.

16. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 14, in step
(c), wherein when the utility grid provides the charging permit command
to the electric vehicle, a charging permit authorization mode is further
executed between the electric vehicle, the charging apparatus, and the
utility grid; the electric vehicle judges whether to receive the charging
permit command according to the output voltage information and the output
current information of the utility grid when the utility grid provides a
charging permit command to the electric vehicle via the charging
apparatus; wherein the electric vehicle receives the charging permit
command when the output voltage and output current of the utility grid
meet the required charging voltage and charging current of the electric
vehicle.

17. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 14, in step
(d), wherein when the electric vehicle provides the charging validation
command to the utility grid, a charging notice authorization mode is
further executed between the electric vehicle, the charging apparatus,
and the utility grid; the utility grid judges whether to receive the
charging validation command according to the required charging voltage
information and the charging current information of the electric vehicle
when the electric vehicle provides a charging validation command to the
utility grid via the charging apparatus; wherein the utility grid
receives the charging validation command when the required charging
voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle meet the output
voltage and output current of the utility grid.

18. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 14, further
comprising: providing a meter, wherein the meter is operationally
connected between the utility grid and the charging apparatus to
communicate to the utility grid and obtain the output voltage information
and output current information of the utility grid; and providing a cloud
server, wherein the cloud server is operationally connected to the
utility grid and further operationally connected to the charging
apparatus via a gateway apparatus to receive the output voltage
information and the output current information of the utility grid and
the charging voltage information and the charging current information of
the electric vehicle.

19. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 14, wherein
the meter is communicated to the charging apparatus via a ZigBee
protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol, or a blue tooth protocol; the gateway
apparatus is a ZigBee gateway, a Wi-Fi gateway, or a blue tooth gateway.

20. The method of smartly charging mobile vehicles in claim 19, wherein
the charging apparatus is communicated to the ZigBee gateway via the
ZigBee protocol and the cloud server is communicated to the ZigBee
gateway via the Ethernet protocol when the charging apparatus is
operationally connected to the cloud server via the ZigBee gateway;
wherein the charging apparatus is communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway via
the Wi-Fi protocol and the cloud server is communicated to the Wi-Fi
gateway via the Ethernet protocol when the charging apparatus is
operationally connected to the cloud server via the Wi-Fi gateway;
wherein the charging apparatus is communicated to the blue tooth gateway
via the blue tooth protocol and the cloud server is communicated to the
blue tooth gateway via the Ethernet protocol when the charging apparatus
is operationally connected to the cloud server via the blue tooth
gateway.

Description:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/509,685 filed on Jul. 20, 2011 under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), the
entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to a smart charging system
and a method of operating the same, and more particularly to a smart
charging system for mobile vehicles and a method of operating the same.

[0004] 2. Description of Related Art

[0005] The design and development of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
(EVSE) has traditionally been performed without communication to the
electrical grid. The focus to date has been on power protection, billing,
and security functions. Although these functions provide the minimum
required for EV charging, future EVSE must adapt to become more capable.

[0006] Future EVSE will require grid connectivity for several reasons.
Chief among these is the need to manage utility load profiles. Increased
grid loads are one consequence of mass-adoption of plug-in electric
vehicles (PEVs) or hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). If this load can be
effectively managed, for example by shifting charging times to off-peak
hours, the power generation and distribution network can run with better
utilization, without adding new generating plants. Smart charging also
enables better utilization of local distribution assets such as
transformers. Avoiding local transformer upgrades through load
diversification and intelligent peak-load management is a primary
cost-avoidance strategy of electric utilities. This was stressed in
stating that "capacity is not an issue," but rather the issue is the high
localized demand within a neighborhood. A smart EVSE must support utility
companies in such issues with the minimal effort required from the
utility.

[0007] But most importantly, the consumer of a plug-in-vehicle benefits
from smart EVSEs. By shifting Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV) charging to
nighttime hours, the costs of power not only drop, but in some cases even
go negative in so called--"negative LMP (Locational Marginal Pricing)"
scenarios (which are often associated with the growing presence of wind
power on the grid). A smarter EVSE can also be an enabler of DC
fast-charging, which helps overcome charge-time issues for PEV buyers.
Smart charging is needed to unlock the value of PEVs, and push them
forward into the mass market. In summary, smart EVSEs are a core
component of the electric-vehicle future.

[0008] The need for smart-charging is intertwined with the issue of EVSE
(charging apparatus) cost. The use of existing communication protocols,
such as CDMA modems and cellular network communication is a major driver
of costs at the systems level. If every EVSE was to employ cellular
communications for grid-communication, costs will simply be too high.
There is a need for an optimized communications strategy for smart EVSEs,
which minimizes overall cost while providing effective management of EV
charging and grid loads. A second related issue is the hardware cost of
the EVSE itself According to Plug-In America, today's Level 2 (L2), UL
Listed EVSEs cost between $1000 and $4500. This cost is itself a barrier
to mass-market adoption of EVs; and this cost does not yet include
grid-communication hardware and software. The addition of such hardware,
and particularly multiple variants of communication protocols, such as
CDMA, Wi-Fi, and so on, could be a driver of future costs. Although there
exists not just one solution, notwithstanding an optimized low-cost route
must be developed, considering the EVSE as a system, and taking advantage
of low-cost technologies throughout the EVSE design.

[0009] Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a smart charging system for
mobile vehicles and a method of operating the same to smartly charge the
electric vehicle according to the power-supplying of the utility grid and
the power-charging information of the electric vehicle.

SUMMARY

[0010] An object of the invention is to provide a charging apparatus to
solve the above-mentioned problems. The charging apparatus is connected
between a utility grid and an electric vehicle. The charging apparatus
includes a measurement unit, a communication unit, and a control unit.
The measurement unit is connected to the utility grid and configured to
measure an output voltage and an output current of the utility grid. The
communication unit is configured to receive an output voltage information
and an output current information of the utility grid, a charging voltage
information and a charging current information of the electric vehicle,
and a load condition information of the utility grid. The control unit is
connected to the measure unit and the communication unit. The control
unit is configured to control the utility grid to adaptively charge the
electric vehicle via a charging connection unit according to the output
voltage information, the output current information, the charging voltage
information, the charging current information, and the load condition
information when the control unit meets a charge authorization condition.

[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide a smart charging
system for mobile vehicles to solve the above-mentioned problems. The
smart charging system for mobile vehicles includes a charging apparatus,
a meter, and a cloud server. The charging apparatus is connected between
a utility grid and an electric vehicle; wherein the charging apparatus is
supplied by the utility grid and the electric vehicle is charged by the
charging apparatus. The meter is operationally connected between the
utility gird and the charging apparatus; wherein the meter is
communicated to the utility grid to obtain an output voltage information
and an output current information are provided from the utility grid to
the charging apparatus. The cloud server is operationally connected to
the utility grid; wherein the cloud server is further operationally
connected to the charging apparatus via a gateway apparatus to receive
the output voltage information and the output current information of the
utility grid and a charging voltage information and a charging current
information of the electric vehicle. The charging apparatus configured to
adaptively charge the electric vehicle according to the output voltage
information, the output current information, the charging voltage
information, the charging current information, and a load condition
information of the utility grid when the charging apparatus meets a
charge authorization condition.

[0012] Further another object of the invention is to provide a method of
smartly charging mobile vehicles for charging an electric vehicle by a
utility grid to solve the above-mentioned problems. The method of smartly
charging mobile vehicles includes steps as follows: (a) a charging
apparatus is provided, wherein the charging apparatus is connected
between the charging apparatus and the electric vehicle; (b) a charging
request command is provided from the electric vehicle, wherein the
charging request command is sent to the utility grid via the charging
apparatus to propose a charging request to the utility grid; (c) a
charging permit command is provided from the utility grid, wherein the
charging permit command is sent to the electric vehicle via the charging
apparatus to allow charging the electric vehicle; (d) a charging
validation command is provided from the electric vehicle, wherein the
charging validation command is sent to the utility grid via the charging
apparatus to propose a charging notice to the utility grid; and (e) the
electric vehicle is charged by the utility grid via the charging
apparatus.

[0013] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description
and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to
provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other advantages
and features of the invention will be apparent from the following
description, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a charging apparatus
according to the present disclosure;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a smart charging system for mobile
vehicles according to the present disclosure;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a schematic architecture block diagram of the smart
charging system for mobile vehicles according to a first embodiment of
the present disclosure;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a schematic architecture block diagram of the smart
charging system for mobile vehicles according to a second embodiment of
the present disclosure;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a schematic architecture block diagram of the smart
charging system for mobile vehicles according to a third embodiment of
the present disclosure;

[0019]FIG. 6 is a schematic architecture block diagram of the smart
charging system for mobile vehicles according to a fourth embodiment of
the present disclosure;

[0020]FIG. 7 is a schematic front view of the charging apparatus
according to the present disclosure; and

[0021]FIG. 8 is a flowchart of operating the smart charging system for
mobile vehicles according to the present disclosure.

[0023] The streamlined smart charging apparatus architecture relies on
low-cost local wireless connectivity between the charging apparatus and
Home Area Network (HAN) gateway or Home Energy Gateway (HEG), thus
minimizing the communication requirements and cost of the charging
apparatus. By creating an EVSE-to-EVSE (E2E) communication network, a
Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) to address the localized transformer
overload issue, where EVSEs (namely, the charging apparatuses) within a
neighborhood can intelligently communicate to one another and determine
the optimal charging sequence to prevent a transformer overload, all
while not requiring any communication to the utility company. A novel
software communication algorithm incorporating a two-layer structure: (1)
address transformer overloading by a neighborhood E2E communication
strategy and (2) address power overloading with bi-directional
communication to the utility company. ZigBee wireless technology is
employed for communication at the charging apparatus provides all the
required functions to the gateway at the least possible cost. Integrating
multiple features, such as power protection, revenue grade metering, and
so on, together that are typically sold today as individual packages by
different manufacturers, thus allowing for less total component count
(estimated to be a reduction by 50% on system level), minimizing
duplicate circuits, and ultimately reducing costs. Combination of all
functions to be handled by one microprocessor, reducing costs at the
circuit board level and increasing control and algorithm capability. The
location-dependent communication link is moved to the utility to an
inexpensive, replaceable gateway. An optional Wi-Fi (802.11)
communication is provided to support households without a home energy
gateway. Automatic detection of gateways, Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI) meters, and other smart EVSEs are provided.

[0024] Reference will now be made to the drawing figures to describe the
present disclosure in detail.

[0025] Reference is made to FIG. 1 which is a schematic block diagram of a
charging apparatus according to the present disclosure. The charging
apparatus 10 is connected between an external AC utility grid and an
electric vehicle. The charging apparatus 10 includes a measurement unit
102, a communication unit 104, and a control unit 106. The measurement
unit 102 is connected to the external AC utility grid to measure an
output voltage and an output current of the utility grid. The
communication unit 104 receives electricity supply information of the
utility grid, charging information of the electric vehicle, and load
condition information of the utility grid. In particular, the electricity
supply information includes output voltage information and output current
information of the utility grid. The charging information of the electric
vehicle includes charging voltage information and charging current
information of the electric vehicle. The load condition information shows
the load conditions (e.g., heavy load, mid load, or light load) of the
utility grid. Further, the communication unit 104 has a ZigBee protocol
function, a Wi-Fi protocol function, or a blue tooth protocol function.
The control unit 106 is connected to the measurement unit 102 and the
communication unit 104. Note that, the control unit 106 controls the
external AC utility grid to adaptively charge the electric vehicle via a
charging connection unit 108, which is connected between the electric
vehicle and the control unit 106, according to the electricity supply
information of the utility grid, the charging information of the electric
vehicle, and the load condition information of the utility grid. In
particular, the charging connection unit 108 is a SAE J1772 connector
with a power line communication (PLC). In addition, the charging
apparatus further includes a display unit 110 and a protection unit 112,
which are connected to the control unit 106. The control unit 106
controls the display unit 110 to display conditions of supplying power
from the utility grid to the electrical vehicle and controls the
protection unit 112 to provide a ground fault protection, an over-current
protection, or an over-voltage protection.

[0026] Reference is made to FIG. 2 which is a schematic view of a smart
charging system for mobile vehicles according to the present disclosure.
The smart charging system for mobile vehicles includes a charging
apparatus 10, a meter 40, and a cloud server 50. The charging apparatus
10 is connected between a utility grid 20 and an electric vehicle 30 to
charge the electric vehicle 30 by the utility grid 20. The meter 40 is
operationally connected between the utility grid 20 and the charging
apparatus 10. The meter 40 is communicated to the utility grid 20 to
obtain the output voltage information and the output current information
provided from the utility grid 20 to the charging apparatus 10. The cloud
server 50 is operationally connected to the utility grid 20. The cloud
server 50 is further operationally connected to the charging apparatus 10
via a gateway apparatus 60 to receive the output voltage information and
the output current information of the utility grid 20 and the charging
voltage information and the charging current information of the electric
vehicle 30. In particular, the charging apparatus 10 adaptively charges
the electric vehicle 30 when the charging apparatus 10 meets a charge
authorization condition.

[0027] Note that, the charge authorization condition includes a charging
request authorization mode, a charging permit authorization mode, and a
charging notice authorization mode. The charging request authorization
mode means that when the electric vehicle provides a charging request
command to the utility via the charging apparatus 10, the utility grid 20
judges whether to receive the charging request command according to the
load conditions of the utility grid 20. In which, the utility grid 20
receives the charging request command when the load condition is a
light-load condition; whereas the utility grid 20 rejects the charging
request command when the load condition is a heavy-load condition. The
charging permit authorization mode means that when the utility grid 20
provides a charging permit command to the electric vehicle 30 via the
charging apparatus 10, the electric vehicle 30 judges whether to receive
the charging permit command according to the output voltage information
and the output current information of the utility grid 20. In which, the
electric vehicle 30 receives the charging permit command when the output
voltage and output current of the utility grid 20 meet the required
charging voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle 30; whereas
the electric vehicle 30 rejects the charging permit command when the
output voltage and output current of the utility grid 20 do not meet the
required charging voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle
30. The charging notice authorization mode means that when the electric
vehicle 30 provides a charging validation command to the utility grid 20
via the charging apparatus 10, the utility grid 20 judges whether to
receive the charging validation command according to the required
charging voltage information and the charging current information of the
electric vehicle 30. In which, the utility grid 20 receives the charging
validation command when the required charging voltage and charging
current of the electric vehicle 30 meet the output voltage and output
current of the utility grid 20; whereas the utility grid 20 rejects the
charging validation command when the required charging voltage and
charging current of the electric vehicle 30 do not meet the output
voltage and output current of the utility grid 20. In brief, in order to
implement intelligent power distribution and charging operation, the
utility grid 20, the electric vehicle 30, and the charging apparatus 10
need to have fully coordinated operations. The charging apparatus 10
monitors the power-supplying information of the utility grid 20, the
required power of household equipment, and the charging information of
the electric vehicle 30 through the cloud server 50. The charging
apparatus 10 controls the required charging volume or charging time to
charge the electric vehicle 30 according to the received charging
information when the charging request is received to determine to charge
the electric vehicle 30 by the user. In other words, it is essential to
execute a registration between the charging apparatus 10 and the utility
grid 20 before the electric vehicle 30 is charged, thus preventing the
disaster occurrence due to unpredictable load conditions. In brief, the
unauthorized charging apparatus 10 cannot be provided to charge the
electric vehicle 30.

[0028] The meter 40 is a smart meter and the charging apparatus 10
communicates to the meter 40 through a wireless local area network
protocol (wireless LAN protocol). In particular, the charging apparatus
10 communicates to the meter 40 through the ZigBee protocol, the Wi-Fi
protocol, or the blue tooth protocol, but not limited. Also, the gateway
apparatus 60 is a ZigBee gateway, the Wi-Fi gateway, or the blue tooth
gateway, but not limited.

[0029] The detailed structures and operations of the smart charging system
for mobile vehicles will be described hereinafter with a number of
embodiments. Reference is made to FIG. 3 which is a schematic
architecture block diagram of the smart charging system for mobile
vehicles according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. This
architecture possesses a number of cost saving advantages with
simplicity, while still allowing for all of the required smart grid
connectivity. As shown in FIG. 3, it is assumed that the advanced
metering infrastructure (AMI) is provided and the gateway apparatus 60 is
a home energy gateway (HEG). Hence, the user can select the preferred
charging demand and then the gateway apparatus 60 and the charging
apparatus 10 are used to exchange information.

[0030] To take full advantage of the offerings of the smart grid, and to
allow for a universal interface to the vast array of utility companies,
the gateway apparatus 60 is required. This allows connecting multiple
smart energy products, such as Programmable Control Thermostats (PCTs),
In-Home Displays (IHDs) and PEVs, to the utility with one common
interface enabling data transfer to the cloud server 50. Once information
is available on the cloud server 50 for utility companies, the smart grid
options become endless. Additionally, the gateway provides a secure
communication path to the AMI, allowing for critical information such as
the household instantaneous power to be readily available to all products
communicating to the gateway apparatus 60, such as the smart charging
apparatus 10. The disclosed charging apparatus 10 has an automatic
detection of the gateway, allowing for transparent "plug-and-play"
handshake functionality to the consumer.

[0031] Once more consumers understand the potential monetary savings of
such smart devices, they will become more commonplace and these prices
will only reduce with higher competition and greater quantities.
Additionally, some utility companies may choose to provide the gateway at
no cost to the consumer. The realization of the necessity of a gateway,
even for non-PEV buyers, paves the way for the preferred baseline smart
charging apparatus topology with minimal communication options required,
thus reducing costs and complexity.

[0032] ZigBee is viewed as the preferred communication path from the smart
charging apparatus 10 to the gateway apparatus 60 due to its data
security advantages and alignment to the Smart Energy Profile (SEP)
concept. The mainstream communication path for the gateway apparatus 60
to the cloud server 50 is home internet, although other options such as
General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) are possible, depending on the
available communication at the residence. Since the gateway apparatus 60
is seen as a small, inexpensive, and interchangeable device, adaptions to
other communication methods can be easily realized if the future moves
toward this direction.

[0033] Especially, the used gateway apparatus 60 between the charging
apparatus 10 and the cloud server 50 can be divided into following
categories: the ZigBee gateway, the Wi-Fi gateway, and the blue tooth
gateway. In this embodiment, the charging apparatus 10 is operationally
connected to the cloud server 50 through the ZigBee gateway 60. In
particular, the charging apparatus 10 communicates to the ZigBee gateway
60 through the ZigBee protocol and the cloud server 50 communicates to
the ZigBee gateway 60 through the Ethernet protocol.

[0034] One of the key concept advantages of the disclosed baseline system
architecture is the EVSE-to-EVSE (E2E) communication. It is understood
that PEV adoption is not a challenge for generators, but may be difficult
for local distribution networks at the neighborhood level. To address
this issue, the disclosed charging apparatus 10 communicates with other
neighborhood charging apparatuses to determine the optimal charging
strategy to minimize the risk of overloading a neighborhood transformer.
This Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) using the E2E allows protection
without any complications, communication, or changes to the utility
company. There are various strategies that can be employed, such as
placing a sequential order to the charging events, which may include
specific PEV information, such as State-of-Charge (SOC), to improve the
strategy. The important point being that the disclosed charging apparatus
10 allows for multiple control strategies. The preferred communication
path to realize E2E is through the cloud server 50 by using home
internet. However, another option is to use ZigBee E2E communication in
areas where this is warranted. In practical terms, ZigBee is limited by
approximately 30 m of communication. In concentrated areas such as
apartment complexes, townhouses, etc., ZigBee may be a preferred path.
One ZigBee module can communicate with multiple charging apparatuses 10
and other receiving and transmitting devices. The disclosed charging
apparatus 10 has an automatic detection of neighborhood charging
apparatuses, allowing for transparent "plug-and-play" handshake
functionality to the consumer. Additionally, the disclosed charging
apparatus 10 collects information from the cloud server 50 regarding
neighborhood charging apparatuses 10.

[0035] Reference is made to FIG. 4 which is a schematic architecture block
diagram of the smart charging system for mobile vehicles according to a
second embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, all
features that were described in the baseline architecture of FIG. 3 are
still available, except for the interconnection of any household smart
appliance. That is, this architecture considers a home without the Home
Energy Gateway (HEG). To achieve this, Wi-Fi is provided as an optional
inexpensive add-on available to consumers that choose not to have a
gateway, allowing for the path of data transfer to the cloud server 50.
In this case, the smart charging apparatus 10 automatically detects that
the gateway is missing and automatically begins communicating directly to
the AMI meter 40 using ZigBee communication. Therefore all instantaneous
household power data is still available to the charging apparatus 10,
even without the gateway. Especially, in this embodiment, the charging
apparatus 10 is communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway 60 via the Wi-Fi
protocol and the cloud server 50 is communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway 60
via the Ethernet protocol when the charging apparatus 10 is operationally
connected to the cloud server 50 via the Wi-Fi gateway 60.

[0036] Reference is made to FIG. 5 which is a schematic architecture block
diagram of the smart charging system for mobile vehicles according to a
third embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, a
household does not have an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter.
This may be desirable in the short-term for some locations to overcome
the challenges associated with replacing analog electrical meters that
may currently exist at a residency, while still allowing the advantages
of various billing and time-of-use implementations that can be configured
for the electric vehicle charge time optimization. In this case,
instantaneous household load information is not available and the
charging apparatus 10 has to act into a limited control state. However,
this situation can be improved by using the E2E communication of the
smart charging apparatus 10 to gather loading information from the
neighborhood sharing the same transformer. This allows the possibility of
providing better control strategies, with some educated assumptions on
the home power, to allow for minimizing the transformer overload risk.

[0037] Reference is made to FIG. 6 which is a schematic architecture block
diagram of the smart charging system for mobile vehicles according to a
fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. The embodiment considers the
scenario of a household without both the AMI meter and the gateway, as
shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment, the smart charging apparatus 10 uses
the combination of strategies defined for the second embodiment and the
third embodiment. All embodiments allow for the bi-directional
interchange of data between the charging apparatus 10 and the utility
grid 20 through the cloud server 50. In cases where the Wi-Fi
communication is not available, it is required to have an appropriate
gateway to communicate to the cloud server 50 based on the available
communication for the locale. Furthermore, if the ZigBee communication
within the neighborhood is limited by one or more charging apparatuses
10, data can still be transferred within the neighborhood by utilizing
the cloud server 50.

[0038] Reference is made to FIG. 7 which is a schematic front view of the
charging apparatus according to the present disclosure. A "Lowest Rate"
feature allows the user to easily select the most economic charging
means, while the smart charging apparatus 10 performs the intelligence
enabling this low cost charging method. An LCD display at the charging
apparatus 10 itself will show information such as date, time, current
energy rate, charging mode by battery load percent,

[0039] Time-of-Use (TOU) price, charging status, and so forth. In one
configuration, a series of colored LEDs are used to indicate the charging
load, including heavy load, mid load, and light load, to the customer
based on a simple R/Y/G system. Alternates will be considered for clear
and simple-to-read customer information, based on a combination of the
LCD screen and LED displays. Customer inputs will be implemented via a
low-cost combination of input actuators; either with buttons as shown, or
via a touch-screen display or keypad. The example shown in FIG. 7
includes a button to initiate charging, and a second button to enter a
"lowest-rate" mode. In the example configuration shown "lowest rate"
would be a customer option to wait for charging, in which case the
charging apparatus 10 would schedule charging at a time when rates are
low. Presumably, in the middle of the night when grid load is minimized.
This is just one option of a human-machine interface that can be
developed; numerous other options can be considered for development over
the course of the program.

[0040] Reference is made to FIG. 8 which is a flowchart of operating the
smart charging system for mobile vehicles according to the present
disclosure. The smart charging system is provided to charge an electric
vehicle by a utility grid. The method of operating the smart charging
system for mobile vehicles includes steps as follows: First, a charging
apparatus is provided (S100). The charging apparatus is connected between
the utility grid and the electric vehicle. Afterward, a charging request
command is provided from the electric vehicle and the charging request
command is sent to the utility grid via the charging apparatus to propose
a charging request to the utility grid (S200). Especially, a charging
request authorization mode is further executed between the electric
vehicle, the charging apparatus, and the utility grid when the electric
vehicle provides the charging request command to the utility grid. Note
that, the utility grid judges whether to receive the charging request
command according to the load conditions of the utility grid when the
electric vehicle provides the charging request command to the utility via
the charging apparatus. In which, the utility grid receives the charging
request command when the load condition is a light-load condition;
whereas the utility grid rejects the charging request command when the
load condition is a heavy-load condition. That is, the utility grid can
reject the charging request command proposed from the electric vehicle
when the grid loads are in high use and detected by the utility grid;
whereas the utility grid can receive the charging request command
proposed from the electric vehicle when the gird loads are in low use
detected by the utility grid.

[0041] Afterward, a charging permit command is provided from the utility
grid, wherein the charging permit command is sent to the electric vehicle
via the charging apparatus to allow charging the electric vehicle (S300).
Especially, a charging permit authorization mode is further executed
between the electric vehicle, the charging apparatus, and the utility
grid when the utility grid provides the charging permit command to the
electric vehicle. Note that, the electric vehicle judges whether to
receive the charging permit command according to the output voltage
information and the output current information of the utility grid when
the utility grid provides the charging permit command to the electric
vehicle via the charging apparatus. In which, the electric vehicle
receives the charging permit command when the output voltage and output
current of the utility grid meet the required charging voltage and
charging current of the electric vehicle; whereas the electric vehicle
rejects the charging permit command when the output voltage and output
current of the utility grid do not meet the required charging voltage and
charging current of the electric vehicle.

[0042] Afterward, a charging validation command is provided from the
electric vehicle, wherein the charging validation command is sent to the
utility grid via the charging apparatus to propose a charging notice to
the utility grid (S400). Especially, a charging notice authorization mode
is further executed between the electric vehicle, the charging apparatus,
and the electric vehicle provides the charging validation command to the
utility grid. Note that, the utility grid judges whether to receive the
charging validation command according to the required charging voltage
information and the charging current information of the electric vehicle
when the electric vehicle provides a charging validation command to the
utility grid via the charging apparatus. In which, the utility grid
receives the charging validation command when the required charging
voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle meet the output
voltage and output current of the utility grid; whereas the utility grid
rejects the charging validation command when the required charging
voltage and charging current of the electric vehicle do not meet the
output voltage and output current of the utility grid. Finally, the
electric vehicle is charged by the utility grid via the charging
apparatus (S500).

[0043] In addition, the method further includes steps as follows: A meter
is provided, wherein the meter is operationally connected between the
utility grid and the charging apparatus to communicate to the utility
grid and obtain the output voltage information and output current
information of the utility grid. In particular, the meter is communicated
to the charging apparatus via a ZigBee protocol, a Wi-Fi protocol, or a
blue tooth protocol. Also, the gateway apparatus is a ZigBee gateway, a
Wi-Fi gateway, or a blue tooth gateway. In addition, a cloud server is
provided, wherein the cloud server is operationally connected to the
utility grid and further operationally connected to the charging
apparatus via the gateway apparatus to receive the output current
information of the utility grid and the charging voltage information and
the charging current information of the electric vehicle.

[0044] Especially, the connection between the charging apparatus and the
cloud server has following ways:

[0045] (1) The charging apparatus is operationally connected to the cloud
server via the ZigBee gateway. The charging apparatus is communicated to
the ZigBee gateway through the ZigBee protocol and the cloud server is
communicated to the ZigBee gateway through the Ethernet protocol;

[0046] (2) The charging apparatus is operationally connected to the cloud
server via the Wi-Fi gateway. The charging apparatus is communicated to
the Wi-Fi gateway through the Wi-Fi protocol and the cloud server is
communicated to the Wi-Fi gateway through the Ethernet protocol;

[0047] (3) The charging apparatus is operationally connected to the cloud
server via the blue tooth gateway. The charging apparatus is communicated
to the blue tooth gateway through the blue tooth protocol and the cloud
server is communicated to the blue tooth gateway through the Ethernet
protocol.

[0048] The detailed operation between the charging apparatus, the utility
grid, and the electric vehicle is described as follows. First, the
plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is plugged to the power source. Afterward,
the charging apparatus obtains the information from the PEV, including
charging power, battery state of charge (SOC), and so on. Afterward, the
user enters options to the charging apparatus, including immediate or
delay, next start time of charging the PEV, and so on. Afterward, the
charging apparatus sends the received information to the utility grid
after the charging apparatus receives the information from the PEV and
the information from the user's options. Afterward, a charge request is
determined according to the utility grid load condition, including
household power consumption, power demand of other PEVs, and so on. For
example, if the load is larger than 85%, the charge request is rejected.
In addition, if the load is larger than 70% but less than 85%, the charge
request is enabled at a peak rate pricing. Furthermore, if the load is
less than 70%, the charge request is accepted. However, the above load
ratios are only exemplified but are not intended to limit the scope of
the disclosure. Afterward, the utility grid responses the load condition
to the charging apparatus and then the charging apparatus informs the
user. Afterward, the user confirms the response from the utility grid to
judge whether the PEV is charged through the charging apparatus. Finally,
the charging apparatus replies the user's answer to the utility grid.
Especially, the desired time of executing the entire steps of the method
is usually less than 1 minute. Accordingly, the method provides a simple,
quick, convenient, and economical operation for charging the PEV.
However, the above-mentioned steps can be appropriately adjusted
according to the practical application and integration between the
utility, the charging apparatus, and the electric vehicle (PEV).

[0049] In brief, the utility, the electric vehicle, and the charging
apparatus are coordinated to implement the smart power-distributing and
charging operation. The charging apparatus is used to monitor the
information of the power-supplying capacity of the utility company and
the information of total required power of household appliances and the
electric vehicles through the cloud server. According to the received
information, the charging apparatus controls the required charging power
or the charging time to charge the electric vehicle when the charge
request is accepted and the user decides to charge the electric vehicle.
In other words, a registering operation between the charging apparatus
and the utility grid is essential before the electric vehicle is accepted
to be charged. In particular, the register confirmation is established
during the cooperation between the charging apparatus, the utility grid,
and the electric vehicle. That is, unregistered EVSEs cannot be provided
to execute charging the electric vehicles in order to prevent the utility
companies from disaster events due to the unpredictable load conditions.

[0050] Variants on this theme include a variety of TOU or other
load-balancing measures by the utility grid, variants on the customer
input preference including pre-set defaults, and other parameters. In the
case shown, the inputs of the customer and the utility grid are highly
variable, but can be comprehensively supported by the smart charging
apparatus. For example: (a) The smart charging apparatus may have LED or
other real-time indicators of the grid load at the current time, or of a
pricing signal associated with load, which provides input before the
customer provides input to the charging apparatus; (b) The customer may
seek to reserve charging time in a low-cost TOU block or other off-peak
time according to a structure laid out by the utility grid, which can be
scheduled by the utility grid and enabled by the smart charging
apparatus; (c) The utility grid may restrict power flow to a lower value
in peak conditions; e.g., by directing the charging apparatus to charge
at a 3.3 kW or lower rate during peak times; and (d) The full
registration process lasts approximately 10 minutes. This process is only
one variant of many potential options offered by this smart charging
apparatus architecture. With close cooperation between all parties,
several optimized in-use control concepts will be developed over the
course of the project.

[0051] In conclusion, the present disclosure has following advantages:

[0058] 7. A smart charging apparatus allows for the collection of critical
data between the electric vehicle (PEV) and the utility grid to allow for
a smarter approach to charging for everyone from the consumer to the
utility company, something that is not possible with a Time-of-Use (TOU)
meter;

[0059] 8. Consumer locale and communication options can be handled by an
inexpensive gateway;

[0061] 10. A common architecture concept enabling the disclosed smart
charging apparatus to be used in future Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) concepts
(adaptation of Reverse Power Flow (RPF) as stated in the SAE J2847/3 and
the communication protocols established by the SAE J2847/2) and for DC
Forward Power Flow (FPF)charging; and

[0062] 11. Usage of ZigBee over other communication options such as GPRS
with extra antennas, can be cheaper.

[0063] Although the present disclosure has been described with reference
to the preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that the
invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions
and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and
others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all
such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within
the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Patent applications by DELTA ELECTRONICS, INC.

Patent applications in class Charging station for electrically powered vehicle

Patent applications in all subclasses Charging station for electrically powered vehicle